Maha orders CID probe into conspiracy charges of Fadnavis, sting operation

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Monday announced a criminal investigation department probe into the allegations raised by opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis that conspiracies to implicate Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including himself were hatched by Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders at the office of special public prosecutor Pravin Chavan.

He said this "sting operation" will be probed.

Replying to a debate on law and order in the Lower House, Walse Patil said Pravin Chavan has resigned as the special public prosecutor.

"This sting operation on Pravin Chavan will be probed. There is no question of supporting anyone involved," the state home minister said.

Fadnavis had on March 8 submitted a pen drive containing "proof" to Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal.

He had claimed this pen drive comprised video recordings running into 125 hours, showing how conspiracies were hatched by the police and members of the MVA (Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress) to frame BJP leaders, including himself, in false cases at the office of Pravin Chavan.

Fadnavis had said that the video footage showed Chavan talking about how meetings (were held) at the highest level from the chief minister to state DGP to the police commissioner to frame BJP leader Girish Mahajan under MCOCA and arrest him.

The BJP leader had demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

Fadnavis on Monday said the state government cannot probe the allegations raised by him and insisted on a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. "The BJP will move the court if our demand is not met, he added.

BJP MLAs staged a walkout demanding a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, Walse Patil claimed that the illegal phone tapping between 2015-2019 involved four elected representatives of the BJP.

"The phone tapping was done illegally under the garb that phones of drug peddlers have been put under surveillance," he said.

Speaking in the assembly, Shiv Sena MLA Bhaskar Jadhav wondered how the contents of the pen drive submitted by Fadnavis to the House found the way in the public domain.

"The pen drive is the property of the House. How come its contents are available in the public domain. Is it not the breach of the privilege of the House?" he asked.

Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil said the point raised by Jadhav is valid.

Fadnavis had told the Assembly on March 8 that the 'venue of crime in Girish Mahajan case is Pune, but after three years, the police registered a case in Muktainagar.'

He had also alleged that NCP leader Eknath Khadse, who was earlier with BJP, was involved in the entire episode to frame Girish Mahajan in a 2018 case related to the Maratha Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, by invoking provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and arresting him.

On Monday, Walse Patil said that the differences between two groups for assuming the control of an educational institution in Jalgaon are old.

"The educational institution needs to function in police bandobast even today," he said referring to the case against Mahajan.

Walse Patil also wondered why Devendra Fadnavis had not probed the land deal of Nawab Malik when he was chief minister and home minister of the state.

"Malik is a five-time MLA. He is targeted now because he has been raising issues against the Central government," the home minister said.

Fadnavis said the land deal of Nawab Malik came to light after an FIR in February this year. The FIR was not on terror activities but money laundering, he added.

He said the videos submitted by him show Pravin Chavan is speaking about how false evidences can be set up against Girish Mahajan in the Jalgaon case.